Key climate & ocean drivers

Temperature

Map: Satellite-based SST (CoastWatch)

Map of the most recent sea-surface temperature around the Sanctuary.

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The sea-surface temperature dataset collected via satellite is the Multi-scale Ultra-high Resolution (MUR) SST Analysis fv04.1, Global, 0.01°, 2002-present, Monthly curated by NOAA’s Environmental Research Division (ERD) and served to this website live as a web map service (WMS) from the CoastWatch ERDDAP server. For more information, consult Figure Ux.Ocean.SST.ERD.map in the CINMS 2016 Condition Report.

Trend: Satellite-based SST (CoastWatch)

Plot of sea-surface temperature values over time within the Sanctuary.

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Download timeseries data for sanctuary: sst_cinms.csv

Trend: SST anomaly (SBC LTER)

Trend: Temperature profile (PnB)

A figure showing a time-series of temperature profiles (ºC) sampled in the Channel Islands for 1997-2015 (top) and 2009 - 2015 (bottom). Figure: Siegel et al. submitted. Plumes and Blooms

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Time-series of temperature (°C) profiles at Plumes and Blooms sampling station #4 (34°15.01’N, 119°54.38’W, see Figure D6.2) for (a) 1997-2015 and (b) 2009-2015. While station #4 is outside the sanctuary boundary and there are other sampling sites within the sanctuary, it is the only sampling site that collects measurements throughout the water column, versus from just surface waters. This time-depth contour plot was generated via ordinary krigging with a generalized exponential-Bessel fitting model (GLOBEC Kriging Software Package v3.0), with interpolation length scales of 30 days (time axis) and ten meters (depth axis). The time and location of each actual sample are shown as black dots, allowing the observation of periods where data gaps exist. Note: This is variant of a similar figure shown during the expert workshop. For more information, consult Figure App.D.8.4 in the CINMS 2016 Condition Report.

Acidification

Aragonite saturation

Monitoring Program

Data

A figure showing the concentration of the mineral aragonite (a form of calcium carbonate) at different depths at Anacapa Island from 2007 to 2014. Figure credit: Etnoyer et al. 2015.

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Aragonite saturations are shown at 75 meters (m) (green), 150 m (blue) and 300 m (red) at Anacapa Island. As pH of seawater decreases (e.g., from the deposition of atmospheric CO2), the saturation state of aragonite (Ωarg) decreases. Aragonite undersaturation (Ωarg < 1) favors dissolution over calcification, making it harder for organisms to make and maintain their shells or skeletons in the case of corals. In coastal upwelling zones, such as the California Current, the aragonite saturation state and depth are variable and shallow, respectively. With ocean acidification, aragonite saturation depths have shoaled over the past three decades and are now typically around 200 m in the California Current (Turi et al. 2016). At the local scale at Anacapa Island, the aragonite saturation depth has hovered around 130 m over the past eight years. As strong of a shoaling trend as at the California Current scale has not been seen. Instead, the usual seasonal variation but relatively stable aragonite saturation states over time (no trend), particularly in deep water, have been seen. For more information, consult Figure App.E.10.29 in the CINMS 2016 Condition Report.

Harmful Algal Blooms

Trends: Domoic Acid Levels (2012-13)

Monitoring Program

A figure showing domoic acid levels in commercially-important crustaceans (triangles) and bivalves (circles) collected from the Santa Barbara Channel (2012 - 2013). Red coloration indiciates that the domic acid levels measured above the California Department of Public Health and U.S. Food and Drug Administration action limits. Figure credit: C. Culver/CA Sea Grant, unpublished data.

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Domoic acid levels in parts per million (ppm) in commercially-important crustaceans (triangles) and bivalves (circles) collected from the Santa Barbara Channel between 2012 and 2013 are shown on the y-axis for (A) animals collected near the shore of the mainland coast, and (B) animals collected offshore the mainland coast or near the northern Channel Islands. In the cases that are colored red, domoic acid levels measured above the California Department of Public Health and U.S. Food and Drug Administration action limits: 20 ppm for meat and 30 ppm for viscera. For more information, consult Figure App.D.7.1 in the CINMS 2016 Condition Report.

Map: Harmful Algal Bloom (2015)

Monitoring Program

Data

A map showing an unprecedented West Coast-wide harmful algal bloom (HAB) that extended from the Gulf of Alaska to southern California. March 2015 (left, before the HAB) as compared to May (right, during the HAB). Data source: Satellite data were obtained from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Ocean Biology Processing Group (OBPG) using a combination of the MODerate resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on Aqua and Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) chlorophyll products. Data were processed using standard OBPG processing with 4 kilometer imagery. Figure credit: McCabe et al. 2016.

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In May 2015, an unprecedented West Coast-wide harmful algal bloom (HAB) extended from the Gulf of Alaska to southern California. The bloom was composed of Pseudo-nitzschia, a toxigenic diatom that has the ability to produce domoic acid, a potent neurotoxin that can cause amnesic shellfish poisoning (ASP) and threaten human health if affected shellfish are consumed. These satellite images show chlorophyll-a estimates averaged over the periods of March 27-31, 2015 (left panel), and May, 6-8, 2015 (right panel). For more information, consult Figure App.D.7.3 in the CINMS 2016 Condition Report.

Chlorophyll

Map: Satellite-based (CoastWatch)

Map of the most recent Chlorophyll-a that indicates productivity by phytoplankton, the plant base of the food chain in the ocean.

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The Chlorophyll-a dataset collected via satellite is the Chlorophyll, NOAA VIIRS, Science Quality, Global, Level 3, 2012-present, Monthly curated by NOAA’s Environmental Research Division (ERD) and served to this website live as a web map service (WMS) from the CoastWatch ERDDAP server. These data were provided by NOAA’s Center for Satellite Applications & Research (STAR) and the CoastWatch program and distributed by NOAA/NMFS/SWFSC/ERD. For more information, consult Figure Ux.Ocean.Chl.ERD.map in the CINMS 2016 Condition Report.

Trend: Satellite-based (CoastWatch)

Plot of Chlorophyll values over time within the Sanctuary. Chlorophyll-a indicates productivity by phytoplankton, the plant base of the food chain in the ocean.

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Download timeseries data for sanctuary: chl_cinms.csv

Nutrients

Trend: Nitrate profile (PnB)

A figure showing nitrate concentrations (a form of organic nitrogen) at a Plumes and Blooms sampling station from 1997 - 2015 (top) and 2009 - 2015 (bottom). Figure: Siegel et al. submitted. [Plumes and Blooms] (http://www.oceancolor.ucsb.edu/plumes_and_blooms)

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Nitrate concentrations (NO3 μmol/L) at Plumes and Blooms sampling station #4 (34°15.01’N, 119°54.38’W, see Figure D6.2) for (a) 1997-2015; and (b) 2009-2015, a subset of Figure D6.6a of the years since the last condition report. While station #4 is outside the sanctuary boundary and there are other sampling sites within the sanctuary, it is the only sampling site that collects measurements throughout the water column, versus from just surface waters. This time-depth contour plot was generated via ordinary krigging with a generalized exponential-Bessel fitting model (GLOBEC Kriging Software Package v3.0), with interpolation length scales of 30 days (time axis) and ten meters (depth axis). The time and location of each actual sample are shown as black dots, allowing the observation of periods where data gaps exist. For more information, consult Figure App.D.6.5 in the CINMS 2016 Condition Report.

Trend: Phosphate profile (PnB)

A figure showing phosphate concentrations (a form of organic phosophorous) at a Plumes and Blooms sampling station from 1997 - 2015 (top) and 2009 - 2015 (bottom). Figure: Siegel et al. submitted. [Plumes and Blooms] (http://www.oceancolor.ucsb.edu/plumes_and_blooms)

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Phosphate concentration (PO4 μg/L) at Plumes and Blooms sampling station #4 (34°15.01’N, 119°54.38’W, see Figure D6.2) for (a) 1997-2015; and (b) 2009-2015 a subset of Figure D6.7a of the years since the last condition report. While station #4 is outside the sanctuary boundary and there are other sampling sites within the sanctuary, it is the only sampling site that collects measurements throughout the water column, versus from just surface waters. This time-depth contour plot was generated via ordinary krigging with a generalized exponential-Bessel fitting model (GLOBEC Kriging Software Package v3.0), with interpolation length scales of 30 days (time axis) and ten meters (depth axis). The time and location of each actual sample are shown as black dots, allowing the observation of periods where data gaps exist. Figure: Siegel et al. submitted. Plumes and Blooms: http://www.oceancolor.ucsb.edu/plumes_and_blooms For more information, consult Figure App.D.6.6 in the CINMS 2016 Condition Report.

Note: This is variant of a similar figure shown during the expert workshop.

Trend: Nitrate anomaly

Monitoring Program

A figure showing unexpected monthly temperature differences (top) and corresponding nitrate concentrations (bottom) from 2001 - 2015. Data were collected at 7-10 meters depth. Figure: Reed et al. 2016

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Monthly anomalies in (top panel) observed bottom temperature (°C) at 7-10 meters depth and (bottom panel) modeled bottom nitrate concentrations (μmol/L) at 7-10 meters depth along the Santa Barbara Channel mainland nearshore (nine sampling sites roughly spanning from Gaviota east to Ventura). The anomalously warm years of 2014-2015 are shown in red. Similar trends were seen at the islands. For more information, consult Figure App.D.6.7 in the CINMS 2016 Condition Report.

Basin Scale Indicies

Trend: ONI, PDO, NPGO

A figure showing three metrics of climate and ocean conidtions in the North Pacific Basin from 1999 to 2018. Data source: NPGO, PDO, ONI. Figure: I. Schroeder/NOAA

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Three indices of climate and ocean conditions in the North Pacific Basin shifted in 2014 from conditions promoting high primary productivity to less productive conditions. The Oceanic Niño Index (ONI) indicates the presence/absence of El Niño conditions with positive anomaly values (red) denoting El Niño conditions and negative values denoting La Niña conditions. The Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) index is related to North Pacific sea surface temperature with cold regimes (blue) associated with higher productivity and warmer regimes (red) associated with lower productivity. The North Pacific Gyre Oscillation (NPGO) is influenced by sea level and circulation patterns. Positive values of the NPGO (red) are linked to stronger currents and higher productivity while negative values (blue) are linked to weaker currents and lower productivity. The graphs show the long-term mean (0) ± 3.0 standard deviations based on the full time series. For more information, consult Figure App.D.8.3 in the CINMS 2016 Condition Report.